Playing catch up

sun 24th January 16    Pool Hall area

dull & o/cast, 12-13°c,  1023mb SW 13 mph

A trip to Pool Hall and area with Ian was mostly quiet but did give us a good size flock of fieldfare, redwing and starling on fields between Perton Mill farm and the sewage works numbering at least 300 birds. They were eventually flushed by a predator which we couldn't find ( probably a high over flying  peregrine  as we would have seen anything else ). Pool Hall pool was poor with just 5 tufted duck and a few coot and moorhen. A single shoveler flying over fields was maybe heading to Pool Hall. Two lesser redpoll (a scarce species this year ) was found on Wightwick Fields. 

Grey Heron	3	SE fields
Mute Swan	1 flew E over	Wightwick Fields
Canada Goose	1	Pool Hall
Mallard	2 over	Smestow Fields
Shoveler	1 flew SW over	Smestow Fields
Tufted Duck	3♂ 2♀	Pool Hall
Buzzard	2	Wightwick Fields
Moorhen	1	Pool Hall
Coot	2	Pool Hall
Black Headed Gull	14	Pool Hall
Wood Pigeon	100+ flock	Eastern Fields
Robin	song	Pool Hall area
Fieldfare	c100	Perton Mill Fields
Redwing	c100	Perton Mill Fields
Long Tailed Tit	5+	Wightwick Fields
Starling	100+	Perton Mill Fields
Greenfinch	10+	Wightwick Fields
Goldfinch	2+	Wightwick Fields
Redpoll	2	Wightwick Fields

Bit and pieces 

11th December 15         morning         mid section

cloudy,  6-7°c,  1019 mb,  SW 10 mph

The holy trinity of wren,dunnock and robin all in song greeted me at Meadow View, a trio that's been rare this year here, at least all singing. Also the pale little grebe swimming south under the old bridge, this one was picked up on the return journey at Meccano Bridge. The Barleyfield came back to life today after a few weeks of  hibernation, a redwing flew to the Alder plantation bordering the Wetlands pool ( Lower Alders ) to join a chaffinch, three siskin and two lesser redpoll, also here a moorhen feeding amongst the bullrushes. Another redwing at the top of the field with two greenfinch and in the nearby Annex four male and three female bullfinch a redwing and a single jay. The summery little grebe was back near the Prefabs weir and a winter plumaged grebe near the Tennis Courts. The garden feeders just south of Meadow View and the feeders by the moored boats at Newbridge boat yard was alive with coal tits ( hard to count as they continually fly in and out ).

Little Grebe	3	1 s/p ,  1 pale, 1 w/p,
Moorhen	1 Wetland, 1 imm Prefab weir,  1 imm Meccano Br,  3 imm Newbridge Boats,
Green Woodpecker	calls  prob Tettenhall  Ridge, heard from BF,
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Dunnock	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	6 singing	mid section
Redwing	3	Barleyfield
Coal Tit	1+ Newbridge feeder,      4+ Newbridge Boats feeder,
Jay	1	Annex Barleyfield
Chaffinch	1♂ 4♀	mid section
Greenfinch	7+	mid section
Goldfinch	1	Compton Rough
Siskin	3	Lower Alders
Redpoll	2	Lower Alders
Bullfinch	12	mid section

Parakeets investigating nest holes

7th December 15         morning          valley

partly sunny,  12-14°c,  1022 mb,  S 10

Changed my routine today and covered most of the length of the valley. Three redpoll in the Paddocks but otherwise quiet as was the Barleyfield. The canal held six winter plumaged little grebe, but the summery individual from the weir was absent and no sign of Ian's ruddy coloured bird from a week or so ago. Calling ring neck parakeets from a small wood ( I won't say where just incase they breed next year ) turned out to be three birds high up in a dead tree with three or four large holes, which one of the birds was very interested in, nearly disappearing into at times. Occasionally being set upon by the local corvids. A short distance away another one was calling.

Little Grebe	6	S&W canal
Ring Necked Parakeet	3  in small wood  (1 investigating holes in dead tree  ),   another calling some distance away,
Wren	1 singing	Meadow View
Robin	5 singing	valley
Coal Tit	3+	Newbridge boats feeders
Nuthatch	1 calling	Newbridge wood
Redpoll	3	The Paddock
Bullfinch	3	valley

Redpoll at last

27th November 15            morning               mid section

mostly cloudy,   10°c       1010 mb,     SW 14

Only visit this week turns up some redpoll with a small finch flock in the alders bordering the wetland site. Flock consisted mainly goldfinch of cause but also some siskin, redpoll and bullfinch ( which wasn't associating with flock) very scattered so judging numbers was difficult but they flew around together a couple of times when possible to count. Apart from a lone fieldfare it was very quiet elsewhere.  

 For anyone who may be interested a HOOPOE was found on tuesday at Hickford near Wall Heath and is performing well giving excellent views down to 30m.  http://staffordshirebirding.blogspot.co.uk/ for directions.

Little Grebe	3	S&W Canal
Black Headed Gull	29	Compton Field
Lesser Black Backed Gull	odds over	mid section
Wren	3 singing	mid section
Dunnock	1 singing	Meadow View
Fieldfare	1	Graiseley Culvert
finch flock	c20 ( gold c12)(siskin c4)(redpoll c4)   Lower Alders
Chaffinch	1♀	Hanging Grds
Goldfinch	c12	Lower Alders
Siskin	c4	Lower Alders
Redpoll	c4	Lower Alders
Bullfinch	2	Lower Alders

First migrants of spring, but are they coming or going

sun 9th march 2014                                 early morning                              mid section         

warm and sunny 1st spring morning

On arrival at the top of the Barleyfield I could hear the chiff - chaff song of a chiffchaff coming from the birch plantation, but is this a very early spring migrant or one of the growing number of British wintering chiffchaffs on its way to Northern Europe. If its the former its 5 to 10 days earlier that usual, another Chiffchaff was singing on the western border of the Barleyfield near the old oak tree, of note there was one at Belvide Reservoir yesterday and it will be interesting to see if Angus or Ian have any today.

 At last the muddy paths seem to be drying out.

Other birds of note included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the local pair of Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, 8+ Redwing, 2 Siskin, a bright male Lesser Redpoll, the Coot is still present just south of Tettenhall Rd, the usual singing birds Wren,Dunnock,Robin,Chaffinch and Blue / Great Tits,                

Roosts in Valley

Given the dearth of bird movements in desperation for something to report here is a bit on daily movements of corvids.
The black members of the family seem to be quite flexible in their choice of roosting place.  It seems to vary dependent on the use of the racecourse and aldersley stadium.
The number of birds is around 400 most obviously Jackdaws which are the most vocal but including Crows and Rooks.  Site choices are Aldersley canal junction, the racecourse by the pool, the stadium poplars or the water bridge copse.
The Magpies are more picky always choosing the trees and bushes around Oxley bank, height varying a bit with wind strength but generally lower than their monochrome cousins.  A few days ago I went down about half four and counted 81 already there and then another 50 arriving singly from the West over the canal.  returning to the roost I counted 133 which must be an underestimate because they arrive from all directions.  Yesterday noted 15 in a pre-roost by Water bridge, where there were two contrasting Little Grebes one in full summer plumage the other still in full winter.  Wonder if it has anything to do with age of the bird?
Finally I found the finch flock(50ish) which usually graces the stadium just north of Autherley junction; mainly chaffinch , goldfinch and lesser redpoll with at least one siskin.

Highlights Sat 6th and Sun 7th April 2013

Virtually non-existent winds meant that sky-watches were limp to say the least, although a Greylag Goose and 7 Meadow Pipit did pass over the Barleyfield on Saturday. This meant I could commit more time to the patch itself.

A male Pheasant was at the Barleyfield all week-end, favouring the Eastern border and the wood at the NE end. At one stage a Red Fox was sat by the lower Alders, apparently unaware that the Pheasant was feeding on the opposite side of the scrub in the middle of the field!!!

2 singing Chiffchaff were on the western border on Saturday, with presumably the same non-singer scrubbing around, low at Prefab Weir and later North of Meccano Bridge. On Sunday an enthusiastic songster was around the Barleyfield annex and adjacent railway walk, with possibly a different individual singing in dribbs and drabs at Graisley Culvert.

Meccano Bridge Produced again on Saturday. My first Redpoll of the year headed NW over the bridge (one flew out the Lower Alders on Sunday). As I lowered my binoculars from following it, a WOODCOCK flew low South over the bridge. It dropped then turned in front of me and rose over the alders South of the bridge, before appearing to drop in the area of Graisley Culvert. a scouring of the area failed to relocate the bird. The Treecreeper was later found again just North of Meccano.

Collared Doves are now scarce on the mid-section, so it was pleasing to see one albeit heading West quite high, from the top of the Barleyfield. Liz has a pair visit her garden by the canal at Newbridge, but these come from the East and can be seen on the houses by the main entrance to the Tennis Club on Newbridge Crescent.

On the afternoon I went for a game of  football with my son. I showed him the new Compton Park Wetlands and was surprised to see two pairs of Grey Wagtails flitting around the Pool. at one point all four were on the footbridge railings, before continuing their mad chasing games. It was good to see so many species using the water's edge to drink and feed, including Goldfinch, a male Pied wagtail and three Stock Dove.

Sunday was quieter. A Fieldfare passed North over compton Park, where 5+ Redwing were feeding. A late Siskin was in the big garden Willow at Newbridge by the canal. Nuthatches were singing at Waterdale by Compton Park and also at The Tennis Club. A single Little Grebe was below Compton Lock.

thurs  3 january  2013                early morning 

cloudy dull mild

mid section Newbridge to Compton inc Barleyfield

Quiet again but at least a few more birds singing. The usual route a walk through  the Paddocks then onto the canal at Meccano Bridge to Compton lock,up onto the old railway at Aspine Way then the Barleyfield,back to Compton lock and along the canal back to Meadow View.

Robin                          9 singing

Dunnock                     1 singing Meadow View,

Wren                           3 singing

Song Thrush               7 singing,

Kingfisher                   1 Dashing from Graisley Brook onto Smestow Brook,

Little Grebe                4 including 2 between Prefab weir & Compton lock and 2 below Compton lock,

Great Tit                     3 singing,

Green Woodpecker    1 on old oak in western border at top of Barleyfield, flew off south,

Buzzard                       1 flew west over Compton playing field to Tettenhall Ridge,

Chaffinch                     10+ in Eddys Alders,

Goldfinch                     10+ in Eddys Alders,

Siskin                            3+  in Eddys Alders,

Lesser Redpoll            5+   in Eddys Alders, the most we've had grounded this winter,

Highlights of recent visits

tue  1 january 2013      mid morning

Sparrowhawk               1 flew west low across Barleyfield to Tettenhall Ridge,

Coal Tit                        1 on feeder at Newbridge wharf,

sun  30 December 2012         early morning

Great Spotted Woodpecker        1 in the Paddock,

Kingfisher                                    1 perched on Smestow brook behind Prefabs,

sun 23 December 2012      early morning

Coot                            1 on canal north of Meccano Br, the last sighting of this bird,

Song Thrush               1 singing from rough area between railway and canal, 1st of season,

Grey Wagtail             1 at Prefab Weir,

Nuthatch                    1 calling in the Paddock,

fri 21 December  2012         early morning

Little Grebe               5 on canal between Tettenhall Rd  & Compton Rd,

Coot                           1 on canal north of Meccano Br,

Grey Wagtail            1 at Prefab Weir,

Coal Tit                     1 at Newbridge wharf feeder,

G S Woodpecker      1 at Newbridge wharf feeder

tue 18 December 2012             early morning

Coot                           1 on canal north of Meccano Br,

Kingfisher                  1 on Smestow behind Prefabs,

Dunnock                    1 singing near Meadow View, 1st of season,